Howard Young Medical Center

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Career Day Opens Up Possibilities for High School Students

Howard Young Medical Center (HYMC) hosted two career days for students at Lakeland Union High School (LUHS) on in November 2011. Approximately 40 students each day learned about the health care field from professionals at HYMC.

“This is a great opportunity for us to help expose our students in the Lakeland community to the various opportunities related to health care,” said Ministry Howard Young Health Care President Sheila Clough. “We know that the shortages in health care professionals are real and we want to make sure that we’re doing what we can to link our future professionals to those opportunities, and encourage them to go out, get an education, come back, and work within a Ministry facility.”

The students heard presentations from many different departments including emergency medicine, physical therapy, rehab, nursing, pharmacy, surgical services, respiratory therapy, administration, human resources and the auxiliary. In addition, there were question and answer sessions with a panel of employees.

“It’s really helpful,” said LUHS senior Peter Frost. “There’s not a lot of business fairs that I can go to, but here there’s a lot of different options that teach you about nursing, being a doctor or working in a lab, so it’s really helpful to see what your options are. I found the sessions extremely helpful, and especially the tour where we got to talk to specific people who do what they do.”

LUHS School Counselor Philip Burley accompanied the students and felt the presentation was a benefit. “I think within Northern Wisconsin and Ministry Health Care there are opportunities locally for the students to participate in and have a career and still maintain the quality of life they’re used to. I think it’s important for the students to hear that,” he said.

“I think it generates a lot of interest in a field that is obviously growing,” added LUHS School Counselor Alison Ongna. “As counselors we try and make kids aware of fields where they will be able to be employed in eight years from now when they have graduated college, or six years from now when they have graduated from a technical program. This presents a whole host of careers that will be lucrative for them.”

The career day at the hospital also included lunch for the students and LUHS faculty, a tour of the HYMC campus and the Ministry Spirit Medical Transportation Helicopter.